News

JLR will compete in the Dakar Rally

Jaguar Land Rover has announced that it is preparing to take part in one of the most famous and difficult rally races in the world, the Dakar Rally. The race has been held since 1979 with several breaks and changes of location, and from 2020 the race moved to Saudi Arabia & Middle East.

This will be the first time that the British brand has taken part in the Dakar Rally, and Jaguar Land Rover has chosen the Defender model. “Our first factory participation in the Dakar means that we are at the beginning of our journey. We are aware of how much we have to learn and achieve before we arrive at the start in 2026, but we are already well on our way and we are looking forward to the adventure,” said JLR’s head of motorsport James Barclay.

“Adventure is in the Defender brand’s DNA, so by partnering with Dakar we are embarking on the ultimate motoring adventure where competitors truly embrace the impossible. Our partnership begins in 2025, when Defender will showcase its capabilities and endurance as the official car of the event, but we also look forward to the entry of the Defender Dakar Team into the competition in 2026,” said Defender brand boss Mark Cameron.

Jaguar Land Rover will debut in 2026 and will be an official sponsor of the competition until 2028. This means that it will use its Defender models as support vehicles, which will be specially designed for the race.

Source: JLR

Sale

The best Grand Prix Collection is for sale

‘F1 Supremo’ or better known as Bernie Ecclestone, is a British businessman, motorsport executive and former racing driver. A great car enthusiast and collector, he owns one of the largest collections of F1 cars in the world, which is now for sale.

Bernie Ecclestone is the founder of the Formula One Group, and for years he collected and hid from the public some of the most incredible cars. The collection includes 69 cars, 17 of which are Ferraris, and one of them is the Dino 246, in which Phil Hill, Richie Ginther, Tony Brooks and Wolfgang von Trips raced. Mike Hawthorn won the championship in this car in 1958. There is also the Ferrari 275 F1, the first Ferrari to win an F1 race. Alberto Ascari was behind the wheel of this car in races in Italy and Germany. Also, there is the Ferrari F2002 from 2002, which was driven by Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello and which recorded three victories.

“I have been collecting these cars for over 50 years, buying only the best examples. While many other collectors have opted for sports cars, my passion has always been Grand Prix and F1 cars. They are more important vehicles than any road car or any other type of racing vehicle, because they are the pinnacle of the sport. All the cars I have bought over the years have a fantastic history and are rare works of art. I love all my cars, but it is time to think about what will happen to them. them when I’m gone. That’s why I’ve decided to sell them. I want to know where they’ve ended up after I’m gone,” Ecclestone said.

The collection also includes 30 Brabham cars, which is to be expected since Ecclestone owned the Brabham F1 team from 1972 to 1985. During that time, he collected at least one example of every car that was built, including the 1981 car driven by Nelson Piquet, and the Brabham BT46B Fan Car driven by Niki Lauda at the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix.

Ecclestone has a truly impressive car collection, and perhaps one of the best in the world, with an estimated value of more than $300 million.

Source: Tom Hartley Jnr Ltd

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EV

2025 Maextro S800

At the end of November, Maextro officially unveiled its luxury electric sedan, the Maextro S800. The brand was created by Huawei and JAC with the aim of creating cars that would compete with the top luxury models.

The S800 is a unique blend of classic luxury and futuristic elements. It will be available in two colors, purple-silver and black. It is 5,480 mm long, 2,000 mm wide and 1,536 mm high, with a wheelbase of 3,370 mm. The rounded design of the front grille is different from the design of most luxury sedans. There are also two LED light strips, as well as daytime running lights surrounded by a smaller light source, which creates a unique effect. The same element adorns the rear lights, as well as unique door handles.

The interior is equally impressive, featuring a starry sky and two separate rear seats. Spy photos hint at a design with three screens on the dashboard. The thick B-pillar probably contributes to the safety and structural integrity of the vehicle.

The car is equipped with L3 self-driving technology and a roof-mounted LiDAR radar. The integration of three intelligences has been confirmed, namely intelligent driving, intelligent cockpit and intelligent domain control. All of this is powered by the second-generation Turing platform. Huawei also promised Super Cruise, Super Maneuverability, Super Awareness, Super Privacy, Super Communication, Super AI, Super Protection and Super Reliability.

When it comes to price, the S800 costs between 124,320 and 186,510 euros, making it one of the most expensive cars made in China.

Source: Huawei

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2025 Maextro S800

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